Taipei's Nangang Exhibition Center (aka TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall or TaiNEX) is Taiwan's largest exhibition center. The area has two large exhibition buildings with multiple exhibition floors, as well as restaurants and convenience stores inside. With easy transportation from the Blue Line Nangang Exposition Center MRT station, it is a convenient place to hold events and conferences.
Background: Originally Taipei City's only exhibition hall was at Taiwan's World Trade Center (featured on the 2000 NT note) which was completed in 1985. The first building at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (TaiNEX 1) was completed in 2008, and the second building (Tainex 2) was completed in 2019. TaiNEX 1 has a total floor area of approximately 144,000 square meters, is seven stories high, includes room for 2467 stalls, and was completed at a cost of 3,500,000,000 NTD. TaiNEX 2 has a total floor area of approximately 160,400 square meters, is nine stories high, includes room for 2104 stalls, and was completed at a cost of 7,200,000,000 NTD. Hours: 7 AM to 10 PM Price: Free entrance for most exhibitions Tours: You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here. Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: The sports center is right next to Nangang Exhibition Center MRT station on Nangang Road. There is paid parking under TaiNEX 2. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/MRT: The sports center is right next to Nangang Exhibition Center MRT station on Nangang Road. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below:
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The Pingtung Martial Arts Hall has been recently restored and opened to the public. This building provides a unique glimpse into Taiwan's former Japanese colonial history. In addition, it also has space for art exhibitions. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Pingtung.
Background: The Pingtung Martial Arts Hall was completed in 1929 mainly for the use of local police to practice martial arts. After the KMT took control of Taiwan, this building was used as a military service station. In 2018 the building began restoration work which was completed in 2019. For an overview of Martial Arts History and significance in Taiwan, check out this blog by Josh Ellis. Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday to Sunday Price: Free Tours and Activities in Pingtung: There are many activities available in Pingtung, such as snorkeling, diving, SUPing, surfing, submarine riding, and river tracing. You can find more tours of Pingtung on Klook here or KKday here. Where to stay: Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. I have stayed at many hostels and hotels in Pingtung, and even almost bought a house here. Some places that I have stayed at and can recommend are Nanwan Kiki (book on Agoda here, Booking.com here), a B&B next to Nanwan Bay, Kenting's most popular Beach. There are also a few decent hotels near Kenting Street Night Market like Kenting Star Inn 888 (book on Agoda here, Klook here, or Booking.com here), or Kenting Dajianshan Hotel (book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). You will notice that none of these hotels are five star resorts (I do not come to Kenting to waste my time at a resort, but you can still search Agoda, Booking.com, or Klook here for those) but they are in my opinion the above have the best value for the money. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 1 south to the bottom of Taiwan until it becomes Pingtung City. The Pingtung Martial Arts Hall is on Zhongzheng Road in the middle of the city. Looking for scooter rental in Pingtung? Click here or here to search for options. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Train: The Martial Arts Hall is about a 10 minute walk from Pingtung TRA Station. You can book tickets to Kaohsiung via high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. You can book tickets to travel to Pingtung via inter-city bus on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. Map: Please see below: 
Gongguan Night Market and Gonguan Shopping District are a large shopping area near Gonguan MRT Station. The night market sits next to National Taiwan University, meaning there are always crowds of hungry students looking for cheap snacks here. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei.
Background: The name Gonguan comes from the Han settlers during the Qing Dynasty, when public houses were established (literally Gonguan) to facilitate trade with the local aboriginal population. The area is close to three universities: National Taiwan University, and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University. Because there are so many young university students nearby, the area has become a hot bed for shopping. The area can be very crowded especially on weekends and holidays. Hours: Roughly 3 PM to midnight every day. Price: Free Hotels in Taipei: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Taipei Marriot (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. Activities in Taipei: You can look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From Roosevelt Road, the night market is right next to Gonguan MRT station. There is paid parking nearby. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/MRT: Take the MRT to Gonguan Station. The night market is right outside the station. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below: 
Rainbow Village is a brightly colored artistic former military dependents village located in Taichung, Taiwan. It was converted into a tourist destination by one of the former residents in order to save the village from destruction. The unique paintings cover almost the entire village and have become a major spot for tourists and Instagrammers.
Background: The artist behind the work, Huang Yung-Fu (黃永阜), was a KMT soldier who retreated from mainland China with the ROC army. He and his family were relocated to a dependent's village in Taichung, where they stayed permanently. Eventually, after over half a century the village became worn down and developers wanted to tear it down. In order to save his village, Mr. Huang painted the houses starting in about 2008, which caught the attention of local university students who campaigned to save the village. Mr. Huang died January 23rd, 2024 at the age of 101. The village is now a popular tourist attraction, attracting more than a million visitors a year. Check out this video recently made by the BBC for more information:
You can see above for a video on Mr. Huang.
Price: Free Hours: 24/7 How to get there: Take highway 125 in Nantun, on the outskirts of the Taichung. The village is tucked into Zhongyang Road Lane 19. Scooter Rental: Looking for scooter rental in Taichung? You can search Klook here or KKday here to look for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. Car Rental: If you are looking for car rentals in Taichung, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKDay here. You can also charter a car on KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus: You can book a Taichung sightseeing bus on KKday here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Tours: There are many tours of Taichung available on on KKday here or Klook here, such as an Instagram Day Tour, Historic Downtown and Sun Cake DIY Experience, Taichung Railway Station Walking Tour, Local Market Biking Tour, Aboriginal Food Tour, and much more on KKday here or Klook here. Attractions: There are many amazing sites and attractions in Taichung, such as Gaomei Wetlands, Rainbow Village, Luce Chapel, Rainbow Village, Wuling Farm, Nantun Old Street, Xinshe Flower Garden, Lihpao Land Theme Park, National Museum of Natural Science, Wonder New Land Children's Park, Carton King Creative Park, Jurassic Planet Park, Museum of Illusions, Lavender Cottage, Okuma Center Fishing Museum, Basian Forest Recreation Area, Wooderlife Gaming Area, Dasyueshan Recreation Area, Wufeng Lin Family Garden, Moncoeur Garden, Yukids Island, Shoe Wonderland Factory Tour, Lihpao International STS Race Circuit, Muxinquan Leisure Farm, Guguan Hot Springs, Miyahar, Fushoushan Recreational Farm, Xinshe Castle, National Taichung Theater, and many more which are covered in this blog. You can also book a Taichung pass for multiple attractions on Klook here or here. Activities: Taichung has lots of indoor and outdoor activities available, such as Scuba Cube Hotel Indoor Diving Experience, Batting Cages, Indoor Skiing and Sledding, Car Race Track, Pilot an Aircraft, Glamping, Archery, Trampoline Center, Off-road ATVing, Hiking, see cherry blossoms, stargazing, Aboriginal Food Tour, cooking class, and much more on KKday here or Klook here. Hotels in Taichung: Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city center. If you will only visit downtown, you can consider a day trip from Taipei. We have stayed at and recommend the Norway Forest Travel Hotel, a convenient hotel right in front of Taichung Station (you can book on Booking.com here, Agoda here, or compare prices on Kayak here), and Sin Fu Business Hotel which is also a great value for the money and great quality in downtown Taichung (you can book on Agoda here or compare prices on Kayak here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. Map: Please see below: 
Lè Architecture is an office building in Nangang District of Taipei with one of the most unique designs in Taipei City. The building uses a round design to mimic pebbles in the Keelung River and to show roundness, strength, and elegance in Taiwanese culture. The building is also extremely eco-friendly and has won various awards. It should definitely be included on any artists' map of Taipei.
Background: Lè Architecture was constructed by the architecture firm Aedas which has headquarters in Hong Kong. It was completed in 2016 and the floor area covers 11,500 square meters. The building uses a round design to mimic pebbles in the Keelung River and to show roundness, strength, and elegance in Taiwanese culture. The building won the CTBUH Award 2019: Best Tall Building under 100 meters 2019 Award of Excellence Architizer A+ Popular Choice Awards 2018. It stands as a landmark in Nangang but usually you will not see too many people here. Tours: You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here. Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: The sports center is right next to Nangang MRT station on Zhongxiao East Road. There is paid parking at Nangang Station. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bus/MRT: The sports center is right next to Nangang MRT station on Zhongxiao East Road. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Please see below: |
Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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